You May Be Micro-Cheating On Your Partner and Not Even Realize It!

Cheating on your partner is never a good thing, even if it’s “micro”. No matter how small the cheating is, it has a great impact on a relationship. It can lead to emotional disconnect, a lack of trust, and a decrease of physical attraction. So, what is micro-cheating and what are some examples of it? We explain below.

What Is Micro-Cheating?

Are you micro-cheating on your partner?

Melanie Schilling, a dating expert, told HuffPost Australia that, “Micro-cheating is a series of seemingly small actions that indicate a person is emotionally or physically focused on someone outside their relationship.” So, it’s basically acts of cheating without getting physically involved and developing feelings for another.

Micro-cheating actions are small and subtle, usually nothing anyone in a relationship would be concerned about. However, it all depends whether the person is intending to do these actions or doing them because it’s second nature. If they’re purposely micro-cheating and are aware of it, it could lead to problems later on in the relationship like breaking up. If the actions are second nature and unintentional, that is something that both person and their partner could work on improving. Micro-cheating can happen in any relationship, even a husband cheating on his wife.

4 Examples of Micro-Cheating

“I favorite every one of my friend’s Instagram photos, but not my partners.”

In this example, it’s clear that the person is more emotionally invested in what their friend is doing on Instagram than their partner. Constantly liking, commenting, and sharing someone’s posts on social media, who is not your partner, is considered micro-cheating. Yes, it seems a little absurd but it is. This could be a sign that you’re not sure about your relationship.

“I am still friends with an ex of mine. We are constantly joking and reminiscing about the old days.”

First, having a partner who is still friends with an ex is suspicious. Second, your partner having inside jokes and reminiscing with them is even worse. Clearly, this person is a micro-cheater because they’re emotionally invested in their ex instead of their partner.

“I have been chatting with an old college buddy of fine, but haven’t told my girlfriend yet.”

Not sharing who you’re texting or messaging is considered micro-cheating. There’s no reason to hide who you’re texting from your partner. If you’re comfortable in your relationship, you shouldn’t feel the need to hide it from them.

“I think my coworker John is really cute. I find myself constantly flirting with and dressing fancy for him even though I have a boyfriend.”

It is natural to be physically attracted to others, not just your partner. However, intentionally flirting with another and dressing up for them is a BIG no-no. If you’re doing this, you possibly might not be as physically attracted to your partner as you thought. Flirting and dressing up could lead to dates which could result in developing feelings for them. Micro-cheating is just a small step to actually cheating on your partner.

Now that you know what micro-cheating is and examples of it, ask yourself, Am I micro-cheating on my partner? Hopefully, you aren’t, but if you are, there are ways to fix it. Be aware of your micro-cheating habits, adjust them accordingly, and don’t be secretive with your partner.

Do you believe that your partner is a micro-cheater? The easiest way to know is by seeing their phone activity using a cell phone spy software.